Always Waiting For You
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: After the depature of two important people in her life,will the last of her known family leave as well or will the inner love between mother and sisters be enough to reach beyond what fate dealt them wrongly and make a future for a family torn?Twoshot.
1. Runaway

**A/N:**This may be based to a point on Dreamscape but I'm also giving the plot a twist from one of my favorite books when I was in High School by Norma Fox Mazer **_Girlhearts_**.So if you've read it,know that this two-shot is purely written not from actual knowledge of who Rose's Mother or Sister were but purely from heart.I'll get back with P,KFIM sometime.

_Disclaimer:_I own only the names Bethany (Beth) and Gabrielle (Elle) & any ones I make up of course.

New York City,a neighbourhood in the Greenwich Village...

A figure strolled amongst the quiet,rather idyllic scenery that was mostly lit up by the pools of clear,orangish-pink street lights and the softer more comforting xanthous glow of fluorescence coming from the windows of people's evenly spaced townhouses and the occasional breath of warm wind blew across the person's face.Suddenly,high pine trees that were shrouding together interrelated with the pitch black night and just as the young girl's world seemed to be casted into shadow,a porch light flicked on and with renewed confidence,she walked up closer to the courtyard.

"Who's there?"Someone called out brusquely from behind the house's screen door and a beam of light shot out onto the person who had went from the picket fence and was now walking up the stoned path."Beth?"

The fourteen-year-old girl appeared before her friend,shoulder length hair of gold catching in the illuminace and sapphire eyes filling with amusement at his perplexed face._Glad I didn't call,_she thought as she moved the red strap of her duffle bag higher onto her shoulder._Or I'd miss this face_.

"Hey,Desmon."She greeted him with the usual nonchalantness to her tone as she climbed the steps of his stoop and passed him without invitation."I know it's kind of late but I had to get out again.Dolorus was just about to scream up a fit on the phone about our month's rent and I about lost it."

The fifteen-year-old brownish,gray haired and teal eyed boy gave her a significant look."Bethany,I know a trailer park life in the Bronx isn't the most enjoyable life someone could have...but don't you think you're Mom is going to freak if she catchs coming over to my house at _night_?"

"I know,I know.But just say I can crash here until the morning when she'll stop phoning us at all hours of the night.Then,before Mom gets home,I'll get back on the subway,ride back home and it'll seem like I actually spent the night."Beth explained as they walked into the living room."But hey,if Mom doesn't get her pay check in,then I guess that means the streets."

"You're terribly sardonic."He laughed magnanimously,taking a seat on his overstuffed couch and moving some DVD cases out of the way so as to make room for her."Alright but just until the morning.I don't want to get in trouble again the time you snuck over because of the faulty plumbing."

"I've been living in that place for six years now and I still think it's a piece of junk,the only reason we haven't moved is because Mom is always wound up in the whole 'You're Father will be back someday' routine."

"Forget about that,"Desmon suggested in an attempt to get his best friend of seven year's mind off of what could be and what wasn't."I'm watching that remake of that spy movie from the 1970's;you haven't seen it,right?"

But Beth merely shrugged,as other thoughts crossed her mind other then what was on television and yet she told him in an aloof tone."Sure."

For a while they just sat there and although she tried to keep the pictures in check with vividness and the sounds coming through coherently,all that she had built up inside of her was pouring over her mind,as somnolence was interferring with her concentration.Soon,she found herself contained within the realm of dream and all the at easeness in lying about what she was actually going to do,the feelings of being fed up with settling for her mediocre lifestyle,everything was hindranced from her as her mind led the normally unsatisfied and hardheaded girl to a flashback of her life.

The shores of Miami Florida...

_A young girl scrambled about the warm,glistening sand outside her beachfront home,chasing after a red crab that was scuttling up and over the varying mounds;occasionally stopping to try and take a nip of his intruder's fingers_._But always,she was mindful enough to know not to get her hands too close to it's pinchers and yet she still found pleasure in toying with it,as she had always enjoyed the simplicity and uncomplicated experiences in life_._To her,all of the quite highly priced objects her parents,her father mostly,bought for her were just lifeless and wasteful_._Why use money to buy happiness anyways?_

"_Bethany_."_She heard the comfortingly familiar sound of her mother's voice calling her from the edge of their backyard,to where it ended with a concrete slab that dropped down and then sprawled out into the far out reaches of grainy land_."_Bethany,dear_._Can you come here please?There's something very important that we need to discuss_."

_A delighted smile crossed her fair-skinned features which revealed her two front teeth missing and she ran up to her_."_Mama,guess what?_"_she squealed in a bubbly tone_."_I finally found that crab I was looking for,the one who's suppose to give me a silver dollar for that tooth I lost last week like Daddy said_._Really,Mama_._I found him_."

"_Oh?_"_The young woman's sobered visage and tone shifted to that of a more clever one as she helped Bethany up and knelt down to her level_."_I thought you said you weren't going to believe anymore of you're Father's stories after you found out Mr_. _Light came from his watch reflecting on the car's roof_."_her words turned commotative_."_Why don't we go on up to the house for some lemonade,it's going to be a very long night for us_."

"_The sun's starting to set,_"_Beth observed absently for a moment and then flashed a bit of hopefullness in her lazuline eyes back up at her mother_."_Can we go walk by the water why you tell me?_"

_Doubt filled her eyes momentarily but finally she nodded with a smile and the two started down to the water's edge_._Hand-in-hand,mother and daugther began to step unhurriedly in the now soggy sand,which Beth found even more fun when it squished in between her toes and yet when she looked up to exchange the moment with her mother,she found that she was looking out westward at the crimson and orange blazen sky,blue eyes distant_.

_After a while she felt her holding back and so they both paused at near the center point of the shore's line,as the heated air slowly dissipated with the forthcoming of a slightly chilled breeze,a strange feeling started to commence inside the seven-year-old_._It was something new to her,this out of place feeling,that made her finally notice as a crisp,cool gale blew over them and caused her to shiver_.

"_Cold?_"_Her mother inquired down playfully at her and scooped her up into her long,somewhat lank arms,pressing the child gently to her warm chest as she curled up a bit_."_Did you know that things such as sunsets,stars and dreams are thought of as omens to the future?_"

"_Really?_"

_Beth stared up into the woman's to see if she was kidding but what she saw only reflected reassurance to the young girl_."_There is really something else I need to tell you,Bethany Faith_._Something serious_."

_And as the sun melted into a deep indigo,Gabrielle proceeded to tell_.

Present Morning...

The memory of when her mother had told her her father was going away in order to find a way to bring her sister back,whom she had been told was abducted by her uncle.Whom she had always wondered the motive of his actions.After her father had left,Beth had never trusted men,no one besides Desmon.Her very perspective of life changed that day in some ways and had molded her into a rebel,developing an ability to be very immune to other people's thoughts,feelings or oppions.She knew she did not have to care most of the time,so why bother?Who'd she be fooling?

As the late dawn rays stretched their bands of radiance into the room and fell onto the fourteen-year-old,her mind began to settle itself back down to the grips of reality,the remembrance of her plan to slip out but then go running off to audition in a musical talent search for her singing downtown snapped back to mind and made her jump up with anxiousness surfacing.

In the midst of her plight,she tripped over a coffee table in front of her.Cursing a bit at her lacking of poise or ability when it came to anything physical,Bethany raised herself up and then was headed for the door when a fairly large woman with red hair intervened her passage out.

"Bethany Faith,"She told her through narrowly set eyes."If it's all the same to you,I would like you to wait before you run off to do whatever it is that you think you can do without any parental supervision whatsoever."

At this,Beth simply crossed her arms and glared frostily at her."Huh.After waiting for you to drop the whole hospitality routine,I actually am not as relieved as I'd thought I'd be,"she hoisted her bag up higher."Step aside."

Desmon's mother only raised her brows at the girl's impoliteness and moved a little to the left but when Beth had finally after half a minute of waiting to see what would she would do,moved forward and reached out to take a hold of the door knob,Mrs. Livingston caught her by the wrist.

"Before you leave,I think you should know,"The older woman said to her in a clear and set voice."That why I never agreed with you spending time with my son all because of the difference in incomes,I do feel for you."

Struck with confusion,Bethany asked her carefully."What're you saying?"

"If you take the 'ity' away from hospitality,that's where you're mom is."A male's voice said from behind and she turned to see Desmon descending the staircase behind her."I'm really sorry,Beth.Mom can drive you."

Disbelief flooded her and she snapped on his mother."What on earth do you mean by that?My Mother's coming home from work,she's safe."

"I just got off the phone with the staff,they say she was mugged while she boarded the bus and it turned violent when he hit her with a blunt object."

"_No_."Beth told her stubbornly and jerked her hands out of the woman's when she clasped them."No..."she whispered as back up."I...I don't..."

But she felt someone's hand on her shoulder and before she could protest to it,he pulled her toward him and embraced her."She's in a coma but don't worry,she's still breathing alright.We'll take you down there,okay?"

To Be Continued...


	2. Miracle

Warm air whipped against Beth's cordate face as she rode the city bus as she had been the last three weeks.Only the top half was put down to allow ventilation and yet nothing dispelled the feeling inside.At first it had been nervous denial,which had eventually melted into unbearable infelicity towards what had happened.Though she never breathed a word of it to Desmon or any of her other friends,she still worried over it constantly.

_Here it is,_she thought with some minor determination sparking a bit and used it to allow herself up to pull down on her section of the thick cords that circuited around the bus's interior._I've got to do this,I can do this_.

As the ring sounded and the bus started to slow to a stop in front of a rather large brick building,the fourteen-year-old felt a strange notion to look outside her window but shaking her head at the useless idea,she hoisted her backpack up and started off of it.Once the early evening met her presence,she continued up the concrete staircase with an urge to look behind her still rising within her but also with ignoring the heaviness that was mounted into her,she pulled open a glass door and made her way in.

Hello,Bethany."The male receptionist who was in his mid-twenties was prompt to greet her as she passed,his greyish-blue eyes and expression marked by the utmost kindness."Here to see you're mother,I see."

"Hey,Carter."She replied back vaguely,slipping the tips of her fingers into her jean pockets."Can I go back there or do I have to wait for a minute?"

"All clear."he offered her a smile but she merely walked passed his desk.

_Everything was all clear,Mom and I would be home right now_.Beth thought illiberally,as she boarded the elvator and took it up a few flights to level four;trying to ignore any other thoughts as she now concentrated solely on the blinging sounds coming in front of her.Though the strange feeling she had experienced outside kept coming up,right below the brink.

Once the smooth,cubic contraption finally paused at her destination and the cool,metallic doors slid open,she had to work up the nerve to even take a step off.But once that was complete,she held her breath and gave it all she had in a kind of hurtle down a corridor and passed a few rooms.

Her breathing came out in loose gasps as she neared the doorframe that would once again lead her into the room of the closet person to her in her life,the person she had always looked to for support when she was young and now _she_,herself,was the one being looked to.Beth nearly fled from the hall but somehow,as if by another force,she found the courage to go inside.Where she saw the long,slender figure of her mother lying beneath a light blue hospital blanket.Calm and quiet,for the first time in a long and turbulent seven years,they weren't rushing all over the place constantly...

_Six years ago,the Bronx_...

_The churning sounds of a storm brewing in the long,late hours of the night caused Beth to bolt up in her bed,glancing around frightfully she saw the heavy downpour going on outside_._Inhaling and exhaling sharply,she managed to scoot back down into the cot that had only been propped up a few days ago_._Which she didn't mind much but at the same time made her long for her old bed,where she felt safer_.

"_Mom'll be home soon,_"_she tried to convince herself in a hushed tone as she sat up a little more_."_It's just the angels playing basketball_."

_With that calming thought of what her father had once told her,she nearly drifted back into a light sleep when she heard a large whack against the window,causing her to shudder down under her covers and peer up every so often_._That's how she stayed,looking up and then cowering back down into the firm contours of the matress_.

"_She's going to be home soon_..."_She whispered softer now_."_She'll be home in just a little bit and tell me that Daddys called finally,then he will tell us he's found Rose and we can all be a family_."

_The storm seemed to settle down again and the whipping,sometimes howling winds dissipated into what sounded like a smooth whistling noise;the stream of midnight blue radiance that shone began to shift into a brighter,more calming shade of ivory_.

_Which in turn started to instill more confidence to her words,making what she spoke to herself actually tangible and so she was almost asleep after what felt like hours,when an enormous,booming noise caused her to scream out and the next thing she knew her small feet had hit the slightly bouncy floor and she was running into the hall_.

_Darkness blinded her and yet didn't seem to add anything to the fact that all she wanted was to go home,after putting up for a year with the ever exhausting moving about,the endless phone calls,the very path of what the young girl's life had taken seemed clear even as the ambient of shadows fell upon her,even as she knocked over things in her fustration,in her desperation to get away,she finally saw life as it was now and probably would be for a long time_._Unfair and defying_.

_She was almost ready to cry,almost ready to believe her mother had gone to along with the rest of everyone else who mattered or could of mattered in her life,when a shift in the atmosphere caused her to stifle a sob and it didn't take long for her to realise __she was down on her knees with her fore__head tucked a bit between;trembling quietly_.

"_Honey,_"_her mother's soothing voice reached her ears,as she felt her comely fingers slid under her arms and pick her up_."_It's late_."

"_Don't leave me!_"_Beth cried out demandingly,latching herself tighter around her ribs_."_Please don't leave me again_."_her voice fell to a low and unstabily aghast_."_I don't wanna lose you too_..._please Mama_."

_Despite the tenderness dispostion she displayed,she heard her laugh just a little under her breath and pulled the little girl away from her to look into her eyes_._Her gaze was gentle but with some firmness to them,those of understanding and yet coupled with experience_.

"_Listen to me_._It isn't always going to be clear why the people we love the most do things we do but the best way to go about it is to let them find out what they need to for themselves_._Even if it means we have to wait for them_..._remember that,if you care for someone,then you wait for them_..."_The woman's voice drifted into the calm,careful night,holding her daugther close as she did_."_Always wait for them_."

Present day...

The memory served as little comfort to Beth,as she made her way inside quickly but over towards the window that held the view of neighbouring shops across the street.All the other times she had been there in that most horrible place,Desmon or her other best friend Jennifer had gone with her and now she had finally told them she wanted to go by herself;she was so confident she could handle it,like she could handle anything and anyone.

_So if I can face up to any obsticle in my life,why can't handle looking at my own mother on my own when she's in this condition?_She thought angrily,a raw glare crossing over her delicate visage as she hugged her arms to her chest._Why is it so hard for me to make a difference?To do something that would stop making life like hell_.

Her gaze finally moved up into the sky,which was clustered with graying nimbus clouds coming into range,the singal of a storm.Rolling her eyes at the annoying coincedence,she nearly turned away when something caught her eye;two figures moving across the roof of the building straight across the way from the hospital.Curious as to why people would be out on a roof in that kind of weather,Beth concentrated harder on the two beings.

"What the...?"She protracted her words in confusion and watched at the figure to the right leapt to another building,as if it where nothing at all.

The figure on the left came into her sight once again but instead of moving after the other person,the person paused and seemed to turn their head in her direction.Freezing up,the fourteen-year-old was about to yank back the curtains into place,when an odd feeling came over her and she tried to peer harder at the person.Every inch,every strain,until finally seeing what she thought was around her age dressed in what seemed like ninja attire.

Beth hid behind the curtain she had pulled up but narrowed her eyes now to the girl's masked face,where two eyes that were like jewel oceans looked back at her.It was as if there was a suspension in time,the two of them locking gazes from different times,different lifes.The more she saw into this strange girl's eyes,the more she saw herself reflected in them,as if this girl were reading her and surprisingly,she felt as if she read her too.

_BBBBbbbbzzzzzzrrrr..._...

The bleaping noise caused her to whirl around and see the green line that had been going steadily on the heart monitor was now moving at a much less frequent pace,even weaker.Beth recalled these kinds of situtations in movies but never once did she think she would be in one.With a shake of her head to relieve her of those thoughts,she moved out into the hallway.

"HELP!"She screamed at the top of her lungs,frantically glancing around for assistance but the only people she found were a few kids staring like she was some sort of lunatic._Oh,shit!Shit this horrible place_

Fear at the thought of not being with her if something else happened was swift to well up inside of her and she was back inside without having even realised she had moved again.Gripping one of the handle bars on the bed and feeling it's chilly,hard feel,she hesitated with even touching her mother with her other.What if she got worse if she did?What if she just passed away on the spot?Would she be put up for adoption?What of her home?

"Mom...?"Beth inquired her faintly and finally made up her mind,reaching out to lay her hand gently on her mother's folded ones."_Mama,_wake up."

The woman appeared so peaceful,though her head was banaged,she still looked as young and as beautiful as ever.Yes,over-worked but not even stress could deter from the fact that she had single-handedly raised Beth for the last seven years.She and her mother had had to endure more then their share of rough times,settling for cheap cloths brands and such.But never once had she gone hungry and never once had she slept without a roof over her head.And yet,she'd complained a lot and was ungracious to her mother.They didn't get along a lot of the time but not more then ever did she just want her mother to be well,more then ever to she want to tell her how much she loved her.Even if she hadn't once said it in years.

"You once told me that we have to wait for the ones we love most..."she began in a broken voice,her throat was so clogged up with unshed tears that it made it hard to talk."And of all people,you were the one person I thought I'd never have to wait for.You were just home and that was that."

The slightly rhythmic sound of the monitor was now fainter in her range of hearing,now that she talked slowly but clearly to her mother,switching her blue eyes every few seconds from her mother's partially pale features to the rising and falling of her narrow chest.Terror that had layered over her bravado was starting to lower as she continued to just merely talk to her mother,as if she were still very much awake and listening to her speak.

"We've waited for my sister..."Beth finally told her in a drearyingly calm tone of voice,not bothering to mask her fear any longer."We have waited for Dad..."she started to move her finger under her mothers."Maybe,I guess you meant that day you told me about waiting and everything that although we can go about our regular lifes,that if we really love someone...we wait for them."her hand finally clasped her mother's as a small smile parted her puce lips,a warm tear rolling down her left cheek."And no matter what,even if I'm the only one,I'll wait for you too."

The sound of claxoning gradually made it's way back to her ears and she thought it was because of the fact that she was paying attention but as the sound rose and there became more less paused between them,a thought crossed her mind but as it did so,she suddenly felt someone squeezing her hand and caused her to move her azure eyes from the monitor to the face of her mothers;who fluttered her lids open and turned to look at her.

"Wait until I tell my co-workers,"She spoke with a contently,soft smile as Beth lowered herself down to her mother's level and the two embraced as a stream of generous golden rays shone through."I followed the sound of my daugther's voice and it lead me here,they'll never believe me again."

"I love you too,Mom."Bethany laughed thankfully,the feeling of life now breathing into her soul,making everything they'd been through seem trivial.

The End.


End file.
